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Wisconsin Purdue ISU Michigan Georgia Tech University of Minnesota-Duluth UT Austin ISU UIC Ohio State Loyola IU| University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign | University of Minnesota Twin Cities | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Illinois | Minnesota | ||
| Location | Champaign, IL | Minneapolis, MN | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 56,563 | 54,890 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #120 | #150 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | illinois.edu | umn.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Illinois | Minnesota | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $12,712 | $14,496 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $31,208 | $34,410 | ||
| Room & Board | $13,938 | $13,028 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $14,297 | $16,730 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $17,524 | $11,807 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 48% | 62% |
Admission |
Illinois | Minnesota | ||
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| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 67,398 | 39,863 | ||
| Admitted | 29,446 | 30,705 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 43.7% | 77% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.3% | 21.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.79 | 3.75 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 29/34 | 27/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1270/1510 | 1310/1480 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 5, 2026 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Illinois | Minnesota | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 16:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Illinois | Minnesota | ||
| Graduation Rate | 82% | 70% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $66,500 | $58,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 78% | 74% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $20,500 | $20,185 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $211 | $208 |
Diversity |
Illinois | Minnesota | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 21% | 12% | ||
| % Women | 16% | 16% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 48% | 70% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 10% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 16% | 9% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
Illinois | Minnesota | ||
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| % In-State | 73% | 66% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 12% | 26% | ||
Campus |
Illinois | Minnesota | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is larger than than Minnesota based on total student enrollment (56,563 students vs. 54,890 students)
Illinois vs. Minnesota Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Illinois or Minnesota?
- University of Minnesota Twin Cities is 14% more expensive to attend than Illinois for in-state tuition ($14,496.00 vs. $12,712.00)
- Out of state tuition is 10.3% higher at Minnesota than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($34,410.00 vs. $31,208.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than Minnesota ($14,297 vs. $16,730)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Minnesota Twin Cities are 7% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($13,028 vs. $13,938)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Minnesota Twin Cities than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (62% vs. 48%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students is 48.4% larger than aid received University of Minnesota Twin Cities ($17,524 vs. $11,807)
Illinois vs. Minnesota Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Illinois or Minnesota? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Minnesota or Illinois .
- The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (1305) is 17 points higher than at Minnesota (1288)
- Incoming Illinois students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at Minnesota (29)
- Accepted freshman Illinois students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Minnesota (3.75)
- Minnesota has a higher acceptance rate (77%) than Illinois (43.7%)
Illinois vs. Minnesota Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Illinois or Minnesota? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Minnesota and Illinois.
- The graduation rate at Illinois is higher than University of Minnesota Twin Cities (82% vs. 70%)
- Graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign earn on average $8,300 more per year than Minnesota graduates after ten years. ($66,500 vs. $58,200)
- University of Minnesota Twin Cities students graduate with a $315 lower median federal student loan debt than Illinois graduates. ($20,185 vs. $20,500)
- Minnesota graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than Illinois graduates. ($208 vs. $211)
- More Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Minnesota students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 74%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/